Batten down the hatches

Oh dear. Morehens Disease has struck again. Have just had another look at the website and found they're going to have Marsbars in stock in March!
see https://www.staghillfarm.co.uk/chickens
I think a Marsbar, a Leghorn and a Blue would give me a lovely selection of egg colours, don't you?
I'm feeling better already!
 
In a dojo they sprinkle water before sweeping. I, however, usually am on shovelling my 3rd bendy bucket full before remembering that damping it down is a good idea. There was a thing on the radio the other day about people getting colds/flu etc about 2-3 days after exposure to heavily bad air quality. Something about it knocking out the immune system.
Sorry to hear you've been struggling Marigold. How long does the start of the year POLs go on for? I have been to get mine in April before but maybe that is towards the end of the rush.
 
Dojo!
Yesterday I caught up all my chickens to treat for lice and mites. My current cockerel, a Dominique x Blue Jersey Giant, is the biggest cockerel I’ve ever owned. By the time I’d wrestled, pinned and immobilised him I needed a rest. Just as well he’s a gentle giant because a Hamburg x Minorca cockerel I had years ago even though smaller than him was a full on martial art contest every time I went into his pen. Wielding a dustbin lid made me feel like some kind of Samurai!
I used to say to people who did not breed chickens that it was still nice to have a cockerel with their hens because it created a nice family structure. After dealing with noise complaints, bald hens and vicious cockerels I no longer say this. ?
 
rick said:
How long does the start of the year POLs go on for? I have been to get mine in April before but maybe that is towards the end of the rush.
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I think people do buy POL hybrid pullets from the end of February onwards - so they come into lay by April. if you want newbies, Rick, maybe go online locally and get tempted? Stag Hill Farm, on the link above, 5 miles away, says they will be replenishing all their stock in the next week or so. I now have a lovely clean run with snowy Aubiose all ready for the starting gun!

Took Poppy to the vet today for her annual checkup and vaccinations. One of their vets is in self-isolating quarantine having just returned after visiting parents in N. Italy. The difficult news is that, on listening to her heart, the vet found 6-year-old Poppy is developing mitral valve disease, albeit at an early stage. This is where the mitral valve leaks blood instead of opening and closing properly, which eventually can cause lung congestion and heart failure. I suppose one aspect of it is that she won't miss the long vigorous walks that I can't take her on nowadays. Pretty rare in Norfolk Terriers, though frequent in other small breeds. She has to have her teeth scaled and polished next week, and the vet will do X-rays whilst she's under the anaesthetic, to see what's going on and establish a baseline.
 
You're making me envious Marigold!

Sorry to hear about Poppy. Two of my rescue cats have heart murmurs, one "came with it" and the other was found when he was off colour and losing weight and diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which means a pill every day until I have the funds for surgery.

I wish I could still access the photo of Poppy after she had chewed the door frame!
 
We were supposed to have had a light snow shower in the early hours, but if it did I didn't see it. Glorious sunshine at the moment and a good breeze so washing is on the line. The heavy rain seems to fall much further west so although the ground is saturated it isn't causing a problem. Also Craven Arms seems to be fairly sheltered although I haven't yet worked out why.

The River Onny, which is 75 years away but down a 12 -15 foot steep bank, burst it's banks onto the water meadows after Dennis but subsided within 24 hours. It's quite a short river - only about 15 miles so the recent rains have had little effect, unlike the effect on the Severn.
 
Hen-Gen said:
Dojo!
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I'm picturing the locking of steely eyed gazes and the tactical shifting of weight onto one leg - the crane v the chicken stance before engaging in a lightning cloud of grapples and spurs!
 
Hen-Gen said:
Years, yards, tins of spam. Surreal baby!
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Maybe I should have said metres!!

Have posted pics successfully in the past but can't remember how - they are quite impressive. The speed of the water in the river bed was rather frightening for such a small river especially given the extent of the flooding on the water meadows.
 
dianefairhall said:
Oh no, not another one! Storm Jorge (being pronounced "Corky" on C4 News!) I was hoping for a quiet weekend.
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I know. Totally sick of it now. I really hate the wind. So far today, it's bright and sunny here, but getting quite windy now. And there's real ice in the wind. It's just bitterly cold outside! Colder, I think, than it's felt all Winter.
 
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